If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

masticatory muscle myositis

My Lovely tri puppy has just been found to have masticatory muscle myositis . She can now only open her mouth 2 cm which makes feeding extremaely hard. We are now hand feeding her every few hours to make sure we can get enough calories into her. Bloods were taken last Tuesday but the results take up to a week because they are so specilaised.She will then start on months of steriods in order to shut down her immune system so that the mmm stops attacking her facial muscles. It is hearbreaking to watch because she is in pain when she tries to eat or even yawn. She cant pick anything up from the floor and gets distressed trying to pick up any crumbs the other dogs have left. Any help or advice or experainac eof this condition would be appreciated. Good or bad. We need to know what we might be going through

There are several very long threads with good information about this condition on another Cavalier message board as there have been several members there in past years that have dealt with this. There is also information on Rod's site - http://www.cavalierhealth.org. Rushing to work now but will search on the other board for the threads when I'm back at a computer. I think we've also discussed this here before - have you done a search on this site?

I've changed the title so that more people who have experience of the condition might see it.

I'm so sorry you are dealing with this, it sounds horrid. It's not something I have personal experience with but am personally dealing with a facial nerve pain condition which also causes problems with opening my mouth so I do understand.

Not sure where you are - I suspect the UK from your post - but there are foods available from your vet that you can mix with a little water to form a paste that you can then syringe in to the side of the mouth without having to open it very far. It is a tinned food from Hills, I think it's a/d but your vet would know or have something similar.

Also obviously you need to make sure your puppy is getting fluids -the same way. The vet should have taught you how to safely syringe into the cheek pouch so that you don't choke the puppy or syringe straight in to the lungs.

With puppies you need to do this frequently as their blood sugar drops very quickly.